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Topic Review (Newest First)

07-11-2004 07:49 AM

87442lover

You mean valve covers that had PCV valves right? Not EGR valves. (even though technically I guess you could call them EGR since they do re-circuate exhaust gas)

07-11-2004 06:56 AM

1970CamARo(327)

I had this problem on my 327 sbc the dip stick would always pop out when i would go past 2500 rpms, i didnt have money for new rings so i just put some valve covers that had 2 EGRs so that gave me 3 plus the one on the intake manifold. my dip stick stays in now but i get a lil bit of oil on my hood now and than but nothing too bad. This winter im going to rebult it and put new rings and mybe some new pistons...

07-11-2004 05:47 AM

87442lover

Good examples of why you should try Total seal Gapless rings

All rear main rope seals leak, just their design.

Now stop bringing threads back from the dead.

07-11-2004 02:30 AM

Cameron

Maybe the dip-stick is blowing out because of excessive oil-level...

For a while I routinely ran a litre above the mark on my chev sbc beacuse I'd made the mistake of a high volume pump and stock pan -didn't want to suck air at full speed (I have since stopped this, since it kills power and I don't rev much past about 4500 rpm usually (65 mph is about 3000 rpm)).

07-10-2004 07:00 PM

RetroJoe

Don't use the rope seal. Go with the rubber.

07-10-2004 08:55 AM

edge

Dipstick Blowing Out

I had a similar problem with my 383 SBC at WOT. What a mess! I ditched the cheap chrome dipstick and tube for a nice Lokar unit. Their billet handle has two rubber O-rings that create a nice snug fit at the tube. If they (or someone else) makes a stick and tube for your engine, buy it; it is money well spent. Good luck with your rear main seal. Ed. www.edgesz28.com

07-10-2004 08:03 AM

6567GTO

Man, I hate to give the wrong advice if it fails again but I just used the rubber one again myself. So I guess I'd vote for that. I think I'm gonna switch my pcv location from the valley pan to the valve cover too.
Good luck.

07-10-2004 07:09 AM

laughin462

Well I am getting ready to pull the engine, I have talked to several locals and get about 70/30% for going rubber over rope. What do you guys think, rubber or rope, Thanks for the input I hope to only do this one more time.

03-13-2004 08:03 AM

laughin462

Thanks everyone for alot of good information. I guess I am at the decision point. Everything else about the engine is awsome "tirefryer" is exactly right. The engine has 150-200 miles on it. I live about 15 miles from town. If I take the hiway and drive 70 mph, I get about a 2 foot spot on the shop floor. Is it worth putting up with it and trying to put some time on the motor, or is it time for the Viton seal????

03-12-2004 06:32 PM

Grusome Goat

6567GTO you are right about the type of rings used and and what grit hone was used to do the cylinders. I remember using a standard 800 grit stone on my hone several years ago and installing Moly rings, took about 2 months for the rings to seat (this was before I knew better) Also something else that can cause exceessive cylinder pressure is not staggering the gaps on the rings I have known this to happen before, but this will also cause blowby. But for some reason I never had problems with blowing the dipstick back out.

03-12-2004 10:26 AM

6567GTO

I'm not an expert, just telling you what I've heard. Varying the throttle helps to seat the rings better from what I'm told. Non- detergent oils have less slippery additives in them allowing more friction between the cylinder walls and rings for better seating.

Then there are those that use synthetic oils for breaking in engines and swear by it. I guess it depends on the rings used and the hone pattern and coarseness.

03-12-2004 10:10 AM

machineman

The oil pressure sounds good to me (especially for a Pontiac) and the leaky rear seal is a chronic problem with them. Rope seals have to be 100% perfect or they will leak. You have to be careful putting the neoprene replacements in because they are more for racing engines that the builder wants to reduce drag. Rope seals were used in engines mainly because the seal housing areas were not precision machined and thus the rope seal would "fill in the gaps".

As far as blowing your dipstick out, that really is nothing more than excessive crankcase pressure that comes from cylinder pressure blowing past the rings. It may stop after you have some miles on the engine. Generally, the rings will finish the hone job that the machinist could not do and this should subside over time. The better the cylinder finish that can be put on a cylinder the quicker everything will seat.

03-12-2004 08:14 AM

adryan16

Alright, once again I'm humbled and in the learning phase, (note that I don't call myself an engine builder master, but an engine builder mentee). Anyway, what is a nondetergent oil, and what do you mean by "gear it". What I get from "gear it" is leave it in first and rev it, but get out of it without shifting, so that your engine is still turning due to your tires still turning. What exactly is the point of this, and how does it help seat the rings? Granted, it doesn't help me right now, but I'm always in the mood to learn from the elders.

03-11-2004 05:08 PM

6567GTO

Here's something you could try. Not sure if this will work, it's an old trick...

Drain your oil and change your filter but refill with NON Detergent oil. NAPA sells it. Then when you drive your car, try and run the rpm's up and down in one gear. If you know what I mean, "gear it". Rev it up and then let off on the gas. This might help get rid of any glazing of the cylinders and rings and hpoefully seat them. It's worth a try

03-11-2004 04:48 PM

adryan16

I've had the same problem with my Pontiac 350. Well, not the rear main problem, but sometimes at long, WOT passes, I've blown my dipstick out as well. I haven't seen anything on the tip of the dipstick to suspect any mechanical interferenc (I couldn't imagine the reason that it'd only happen at WOT if it was mechanical anyway) so I'm almost postive that's not it. I think I may take an extra dipstick, and drill some small holes in the top, and stick a small amount of foam around the top to see if that'd help at all. Maybe that's goofy, but I don't know what else to do.

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